1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bicycles, and more particularly, to step driven bicycles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Step driven bicycles are among the earliest types of bicycles. A bicycle rider either sits or stands and pushes against a pair of pivoted step elements to provide motive power. The step elements of the prior art are typically alternately pivoted. One step goes down while the other step comes up. Power is provided on the down stroke or step.
An example of early prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 1,072,284 (Widera), in which step pedals are connected to a pair of drums by ratchet gear elements. The drums are in turn connected to a pair of drive wheels.
Another example of early prior art is found in U.S. Pat. No. 1,258,391 (Bried). Step elements are pivotly connected to the front of a bicycle frame and are connected to a chain and sprocket system. The chain and sprocket system is in turn connected through a rachet drive to a drive wheel. The pedals or treadles operate independently of each other.
Another early prior art apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,440,372 (Brown et al). A pair of pedals is pivotally connected to the front frame of a tricycle and a ratchet gear system connects the pedals to a pair of drive wheels.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,477,346 (Gedeon) discloses atricycle apparatus with a ratchet step drive.
U. S. Pat. No. 1,447,544 (D""Antonio) discloses a two wheel unit which includes a pedal and crank system connected to a drive sprocket, and a chain connects the drive sprocket to a driven sprocket on the rear wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,899,854 (Cooper) discloses the use of straps on pivoting pedals connected to pulleys. The pulleys are connected to a ratchet drive on hubs of a drive wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,053,835 (Kimball et al) discloses a single pivoting pedal with a link connected to a pivoting lever, and a chain connected to the lower end of the pivoting lever. The chain is in turn connected to a drive pulley. The drive pulley is connected through a clutch system to the rear drive wheel of the apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,089 (Taylor) discloses a cable and chain drive for a single pedal. The chain moves a sprocket on a hub connected to the drive wheel axle. Like most of the preceding, and following, patents, a clutch assembly is used for one way transmission of power.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,401 (Mohseni) discloses a pair of step pedals disposed on opposite sides of a frame, with a rear driving wheel secured to the frame. The operator straddles the frame and operates the pedals. The pedals are connected to a belt drive which extend over a pulley system. The pulley system is connected to a hub on a rear drive wheel axle. The pulleys on the rear drive wheel axle move laterally on splines to transfer power to the hub. The step pedals alternate up and down.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,321 (Berman et al) discloses a cable and chain drive system with a pair of alternating up and down step pedals. The step pedals are on the outside of a bicycle frame. The chain is disposed on sprockets on a front drive shaft. A separate chain is disposed about a drive sprocket on the drive shaft and about a sprocket on a rear drive shaft. Clutches on the front drive shaft allow the pedals to move upwardly and downwardly alternately.
GB Pat. No. 2 241 476 (Huang) discloses a pedal assembly which include drive bars connected to drive chains disposed in chain holders. The drive bars are disposed at an acute angle to the chain holders. The chains are fixed in the chain holders and are disposed against sprockets connected to a drive shaft. The sprockets are connected to the drive shaft through a clutch assembly. For reverse movement of the apparatus, the pedal assembly is moved upwardly to disengage the chains from the sprockets.
The apparatus disclosed and claimed herein comprises a step pedal bicycle having a pair of independently movable step pedals connected to a drive shaft. The step pedals include chain tracks in which chains are disposed. The chains are connected to sprockets secured to the drive shaft. The drive shaft includes one way clutches to connect the sprockets for moving the drive shaft in the desired direction to move the bicycle forward. A sprocket on the drive shaft is connected to the rear drive wheel by a chain. The step pedals are independently actuable, and may be moved alternately, together, or singly.
Among the objects of the present invention are the following:
To provide new and useful bicycle apparatus;
To provide new and useful step pedal bicycle apparatus;
To provide new and useful step pedal bicycle having a pair of independently actuable step pedals;
To provide new and useful step pedal bicycle apparatus having a chain drive; and
To provide new and useful bicycle apparatus having a chain drive using a pair of chains fixed at one end to step pedals and fixed at the opposite end to a drive shaft.